Here’s a spread sure to get most of y’all in the Christmas spirit–The Present! Just stack these from the top down in a straight line.

Ribbon—Hermit

Wrapping—Tower

Lid—Magician

Box—Wheel of Fortune

Gift—High Priestess

Ignore the pretty wrapping so you can peel back the layers hiding the truth.

Now before we get into anything resembling a tarot reading, I would like to point out that the exact three middle cards–Tower, Magician, and Wheel of Fortune–were the cards in The Harvest reading from a couple of weeks ago. Uh, huh, yeah. Moving on…

Starting from the top, The Hermit is our Ribbon tying everything together. Something about this time of year is good for quiet contemplation. We just marked the Winter Solstice, after all. If you feel the need for solitude, it’s important to honor that impulse. The benefit of that self-examination is the ability to recognize areas of your life in need of a fresh start.

A fresh start is often molded out of the chaos of destruction. The Wrapping is the loose facade that holds in the illusion. In order to open the gift, you have to tear away the paper. Don’t get caught up in how long it took to build the tower (wrap the present), or how pretty it is. Rip up that barrier and throw it aside!

The Magician is in charge of keeping a Lid on this particular mystery. He knows you want results, and he can deliver, but only if you’re willing to believe and be patient while he works his magic. Cutting through the tape means accepting what’s inside the Box–in this case The Wheel of Fortune. You get what you deserve, right? So what have you got to worry about…?

And who does Mr. Magician conjure up to save the day? None other than than The High Priestess. While he’s all, “Ta-Daaa,” she’s all, “I’ll be hanging out over here if you wanna talk.” Ms. Priestess isn’t going to spell things out for you, but she’ll do her damndest to influence your path through subtle means, so don’t discount the little moments. Tuning into the subtle energies will be to your benefit, and possibly keep you out of trouble!

Clearly, what is most important this week isn’t what twinkles the most. You might have to peer between the lights to see what’s moving the wires, but knowing how things work is the crux of what really matters. Draw upon your wisdom to weather any circumstantial storms, and be willing to see signs of change in the most unlikely places. It’s up to you to use your gifts wisely, even if you didn’t ask for them in the first place. And always remember, the best presents are the ones you give yourself!